If you are saddled with a room in desperate need of an overhaul, start taking notes! This bright and happy living room was once a dark and heavy space with overpowering builtins. That is until Amy Elbaum of AE Designs came to the rescue. She infused the space with bright white walls, lighter pops of color and cozy spots for lounging. And the built-ins? A lesson in how to style the perfect shelf. Take the full tour of this transformation captured by Amy Bartlam right here.

This living room in a southern California home was in desperate need of a new look - the client wanted the space to have a light and airy feel and this room felt heavy and dark, mostly due to the overpowering and very large existing wood built-unit that took up an entire wall.

The built-in was also covering a window that we knew uncovering would allow for a lot more natural light in the room. Because the client still wanted plenty of storage that the unit provided, we designed a new unit, made of white satin lacquer with a gray veneer accent, and framed it around the newly revealed window.

We combined drawers, cabinets and open shelving and added a window seat with cushions for additional seating. In continuing with the light and bright color palette, we used a B&B Italia linen sectional and paired it with some of the client's existing mid-century furniture.

The use of light weight materials throughout the space was very important, especially the sheer patterned window treatments that allow light to pass through. The blues, pinks and neutrals combined with pops of black give the space a contemporary feel.

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This living room in a southern California home was in desperate need of a new look - the client wanted the space to have a light and airy feel and this room felt heavy and dark, mostly due to the overpowering and very large existing wood built-unit that took up an entire wall.